FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the a structure of a prior art hair washer.
In the figure, reference numeral 1 designates a cabinet. Numeral 2 designates a cistern having an opening 2a in the cabinet 1, into which a person inserts his head while lying on his back, to undergo hair washing. A neck receiving member 103 is arranged at an entering edge part 2b of the cistern 2. The neck receiving part supports the nape of the person under hair washing 9 by a neck receiving part 103a of the neck receiving member. Here, the neck receiving member 103 is made of an elastic material, for example, a rubber or the like.
In addition, numeral 4 designates a face cover for preventing hot water from spreading over the face of the person under hair washing 9 during hair washing. The face cover is arranged to be capable of opening and closing so that it covers the opening 2a of the cistern 2. Numeral 5 designates a drawable hand shower used for washing off hairs, shampoo agent, or conditioner agent which are attached to a cistern, or in finishing hair washing. Numeral 6 designates a shampoo tank for storing shampoo agent. Numeral 7 designates a conditioner tank for storing conditioner agent.
FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically illustrating a structure of the prior art hair washer. In the figure, the same reference numerals and characters as those in FIG. 6 designate the same or corresponding parts. Reference numeral 8 designates a draining port provided at the bottom of the cistern 2. Numeral 9 designates a person undergoing hair washing.
Shower heads S1 to S11 for spouting hot water, and nozzle heads N1 to N6 for spouting hot water mixed with shampoo agent or conditioner agent are provided on inner walls of the cistern 2. Hair washing processes performed by a hair washer are completed by the following processes; an initial draining process, a preliminary washing process, a shampooing process, a first rinsing process, a conditioning process, anda second rinsing process. The shower heads S1 to S11 and the nozzle heads N1 to N6 are constructed to automatically spout hot water or hot water mixed with shampoo agent or conditioner agent during a prescribed period for the respective processes in accordance with control by a control means (not shown).
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the pipe arrangement in the cabinet of the prior art hair washer. In the figure, the same reference numerals and characters as those in FIGS. 6 and 7 designate the same or corresponding parts. In addition, reference numeral 11 designates a mixing tank for mixing water and hot water which is transmitted from an external water supply and an external hot water supply, via a curb stop, a strainer, and a check valve (not shown), to prepare wash water having a temperature suitable for hair washing. Numeral 12 designates a motor valve. Numeral 13 designates a hot water storing tank for storing the wash water supplied from the mixing tank 11 via the motor valve 12. Numeral 14 designates a thermistor provided at a lower position of the hot water storing tank 13 to measure the temperature of the wash water stored in the hot water storing tank 13. Numeral 15 designates a float switch for detecting the amount of wash water stored in the hot water storing tank 13. Numeral 16 designates a hot water supplying pump for pumping out wash water from the hot water storing tank 13. Numeral 17 designates a valve for a hand shower. Character A designates a hot water supply way, one end of which is connected to the hot water supplying pump 16, the other end of which has some branches connected to the shower heads S1 to S11 and the nozzle heads N1 to N6 at top parts thereof. Numeral 18 designates a draining electromagnetic valve provided midway of the hot water supply way A to drain unnecessary wash water. Characters 19a to 19k designate hot water supplying electromagnetic valves for supplying the wash water to the shower heads S1 to S11 and nozzle heads N1 to N6 by an opening and closing of the supply of wash water via a closing operation. Numeral 20 designates a shampoo supplying pump for pumping out the shampoo agent from the shampoo tank 6. Numeral 21 designates a conditioner supplying pump for pumping out the conditioner agent from the conditioner tank 7. Numerals 22 and 23 designate check valves. Character B1 designates a shampoo agent supply way, one end of which is connected to the hot water supply way A, via the shampoo supplying pump 20 and the check valve 22. Character B2 designates a shampoo agent supply way, one end of which is connected to the conditioner tank 7, the other end of which is connected to the hot water supply way A, via the conditioner supplying pump 21 and the check valve 23.
Hereinafter, an explanation will be given of the operation of a hair washer constructed as described above with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.
At first, when the hair washer is started, hot water and water are supplied to the mixing tank 11 from an external water supply and an external hot water supply, via the curb stop, the strainer, and the check valve. The hot water and the water are mixed by the mixing tank 11 to prepare the hot water having a temperature suitable for hair washing, which is provided to the hot water storing tank 13 via the motor valve 12.
At the time when predetermined amounts of hot water are stored in the hot water storing tank 13, stand-by mode follows. During the mode, after the person under hair washing inserts his head to the opening 2a of the cistern 2 while lying on his back and putting his head on the neck receiving part 3a, the face cover 4 is closed.
Next, when the hot water supplying electromagnetic valves 19a to 19k are opened, the hot water stored in the hot water storing tank 13 is simultaneously sucked up by the hot water supplying pump 16, to be provided to the hot water supply way A, whereby cold water stored in the hot water supply way A during an initial predetermined period is drained out from the shower heads S1 to S11 and the nozzle heads N1 to N6.
Next, when all the cold water stored in the hot water supply way A is drained out, the hot water supplying electromagnetic valve 19k is closed, in order to stop supplying hot water to the nozzle heads N1 to N6, thereby allowing hair washing to be performed utilizing the hot water spouted from the shower heads S1 to S11 during a predetermined period.
Next, a shampooing process is followed. When the hot water supplying electromagnetic valve 19k is opened, shampoo agent stored in the shampoo tank 6 is simultaneously sucked up by the shampoo supplying pump 20 via the shampoo agent supply way B1, and provided to the hot water supply way A via the check valve 22. The shampoo agent is mixed with the hot water of the hot water supply way A, thereby preparing mixed water with shampoo agent. The mixed water with the shampoo agent is spouted from the nozzle heads N1 to N6, to perform hair washing with shampoo agent with hot water spouted from the shower heads S1 to S11.
Next, when the shampooing process completed completed, the hot water supplying electromagnetic valve 19k is closed, to stop the spouting of the water mixed with shampoo agent from the nozzle heads N1 to N6, thereby performing a first rinsing of hair for washing away shampoo agent attached to the hair.
Next, a conditioning process is followed. When the hot water supplying electromagnetic valve 19k is opened, conditioner agent stored in the conditioner tank 7 is simultaneously sucked up by the conditioner supplying pump 21 via the conditioner agent supply way B2, in order to be provided to the hot water supply way A via the check valve 23. The conditioner agent is mixed with the hot water of the hot water supply way A, thereby preparing mixed water with conditioner agent. The mixed water with conditioner agent is spouted from the nozzle heads N1 to N6, to perform hair washing with conditioner agent with hot water spouted from the shower heads S1 to S11.
Next, a second rinsing process is followed. When the electromagnetic valve 10k is closed, in order to stop the spout of the mixed water with conditioner agent from the nozzle heads N1 to N6, thereby allowing hair washing to be performed utilizing the hot water spouted from the shower heads S1 to S11. All processes for hair washing are completed.
However, when hair washing is performed using the prior art hair washer, the neck receiving part arranged at an entering edge part of the cistern becomes cool especially when hair washing is performed in the early morning or winter season. Thus, a person under hair washing feels cool at his nape and this gives rise to feelings of displeasure.